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Poll: A reasonable cost for errors and omissions, liability and personal property loss insurance:
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Feb 15, 2018

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "A reasonable cost for errors and omissions, liability and personal property loss insurance:".

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Gianluca Marras
Gianluca Marras  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 11:57
English to Italian
100-200 per year Feb 15, 2018

Unfortunately I was provided a quote of € 1100 (Italy)

 
Diarmuid Kennan
Diarmuid Kennan
Ireland
Local time: 10:57
Member (2006)
Danish to English
+ ...
zero Feb 15, 2018

Has anybody ever, in the history of freelance translation, ever had to make a claim on such a policy?
I often ask this question when this subject comes up, but I have never heard of anyone with personal experience of such a claim.


 
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Yetta Jensen Bogarde  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 11:57
Member (2012)
English to Danish
+ ...
100 -200 per year Feb 15, 2018

Would be max - but the insurance companies I have approached were either not interested or charged a lot more.

BTW: Good point, Diarmuid, let's here!


 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 11:57
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
I have a policy that covers a range of events Feb 15, 2018

... Fire, computer crashes, theft and illness, besides E&O.

So I think it is well worth having just for that. I am not sure of the exact terms now, but it used to cover claims for up to 10 million Danish Kroner.
It was a group policy for members of the Danish Language Professionals Trade Union, which I have continued to take out personally with the insurers.

I have heard of an agency who had to pay for a reprint of some publicity material, which can be quite expe
... See more
... Fire, computer crashes, theft and illness, besides E&O.

So I think it is well worth having just for that. I am not sure of the exact terms now, but it used to cover claims for up to 10 million Danish Kroner.
It was a group policy for members of the Danish Language Professionals Trade Union, which I have continued to take out personally with the insurers.

I have heard of an agency who had to pay for a reprint of some publicity material, which can be quite expensive, even if the error is technically trivial. I do not know whether the translator was insured, or whether the agency passed on the claim, but they changed their terms and conditions for working with freelancers.

I have also heard of a wedding that had to be postponed because the translation of divorce papers contained an error, but I don't know any details, or whether claims were made. That too could be quite expensive if a big party and travel arrangements had to be cancelled.

I agree claims are rare, but for somewhere between € 100 and € 200 a year, I like to know I am insured.
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András Veszelka
András Veszelka  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:57
English to Hungarian
Error free translations vs. reasonable care Feb 15, 2018

I had a few conversations with insurance companies about this and they told me that if I explicitly accept in a contract that my work will be error free, they will not provide insurance for this, because I undertook this more strict restriction on my own. They already did not tell me, but if on the other hand I only sign contracts that stipulate that I will complete my job with reasonable care or to high professional standards, this means that I can commit a few mistakes, and then I don't need a... See more
I had a few conversations with insurance companies about this and they told me that if I explicitly accept in a contract that my work will be error free, they will not provide insurance for this, because I undertook this more strict restriction on my own. They already did not tell me, but if on the other hand I only sign contracts that stipulate that I will complete my job with reasonable care or to high professional standards, this means that I can commit a few mistakes, and then I don't need an additional insurance for this. As Christine mentions, indemnity insurances can still provide coverage for some additional issues, like data loss, but I think with appropriate safety measures these can be also handled safely without having a coverage. I am not entirely sure about this, but this is what I could gather.Collapse


 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 11:57
Spanish to English
+ ...
Other Feb 15, 2018

I don't work with clients who try to foist things like this onto their providers. And, with my current portfolio of clients and the mutually flexible and proactive relationships we have, I don't think I'm likely to ever make any errors serious enough to warrant any such claims being made against me. I agree with Diarmuid's comment.
However, having said that, I can envisage situations where some kind of insurance might be necessary for the translation service provider, but I just don't see
... See more
I don't work with clients who try to foist things like this onto their providers. And, with my current portfolio of clients and the mutually flexible and proactive relationships we have, I don't think I'm likely to ever make any errors serious enough to warrant any such claims being made against me. I agree with Diarmuid's comment.
However, having said that, I can envisage situations where some kind of insurance might be necessary for the translation service provider, but I just don't see myself as being in that situation, at least not right now. In general, insurance policies always seem rather expensive to me.
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Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 10:57
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
How likely is it to pay out? Feb 15, 2018

Check the terms VERY carefully. The one I had for several years only covered me for clients based in my country, France. I only found out when I moved to Spain, after I'd been working with clients based in many different countries.

I seriously doubt whether it would be worth a client's time and money to sue a private individual. Maybe some of you are rich. but most st of my money is tied up in a house, owned jointly w
... See more
Check the terms VERY carefully. The one I had for several years only covered me for clients based in my country, France. I only found out when I moved to Spain, after I'd been working with clients based in many different countries.

I seriously doubt whether it would be worth a client's time and money to sue a private individual. Maybe some of you are rich. but most st of my money is tied up in a house, owned jointly with my husband. I really don't think it would be worth it to them. But of course if I had insurance then they'd be quick to try to pass any loss onto me. I've decided it isn't worth it.
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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 10:57
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Other Feb 15, 2018

A reasonable cost would be €100-200 per year, but
1. In over 40 years, I have never heard of anyone with personal experience of such a claim.
2. I have a good relationship with all my customers and my strategy has been that every time a problem comes up I deal with it promptly.
3. I know that some companies offer these policies to doctors and lawyers but I wonder if the price will be within that range…


 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
£0.00 Feb 15, 2018

I don't make mistaks.

 
Félicien Sirois
Félicien Sirois
United States
Local time: 05:57
Member
Italian to English
+ ...
Possibly pharma or medical translators Feb 15, 2018

Chris S wrote:

I don't make mistaks.


Thanks Chris, that made my morning.

I think a lot of it comes down to your client base. If you work for agencies exclusively, then at least there is a buffer, especially if the work does not involve subject matter that could reasonably end up in a major casualty if mistranslated.

If, on the other hand, you work heavily with direct clients and/or (for example) in the medical or pharmaceutical fields or even in the automotive/transportation industry, then it might be advisable to find an E&O policy with suitable coverage.

[Edited at 2018-02-15 13:09 GMT]


 
EvaVer (X)
EvaVer (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:57
Czech to French
+ ...
Something similar Feb 15, 2018

Gianluca Marras wrote:

Unfortunately I was provided a quote of € 1100 (Italy)

in the Czech Republic - at the time I attempted to take out such insurance, the policies were tailored to industrial companies. I don't bother any more, close to retirement.


 
Richard Purdom
Richard Purdom  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 10:57
Dutch to English
+ ...
Best-efforts obligation Feb 15, 2018

I think that covers what we do, and 0.00 is very reasonable.

 
Daniel Frisano
Daniel Frisano  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 11:57
Member (2008)
English to Italian
+ ...
Ditto Feb 16, 2018

Diarmuid Kennan wrote:

Has anybody ever, in the history of freelance translation, ever had to make a claim on such a policy?
I often ask this question when this subject comes up, but I have never heard of anyone with personal experience of such a claim.


Truer word was never spoken. I wonder if I am too old to start a career in insurance.

[Edited at 2018-02-16 00:58 GMT]


 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 07:57
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
30 years of insurance? Feb 16, 2018

I've been working as a translator for 30 years, and I never had an issue that could be a claim for an insurance policy.
If you calculate 30 years times the yearly cost of this insurance, the money I saved so far is way above any potential liability I may be subect to.


 
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Poll: A reasonable cost for errors and omissions, liability and personal property loss insurance:






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